This invention relates to roofing systems, and, more particularly to a support assembly for retrofitting a roof made of preformed panels in order to improve wind pressure resistance of a new roof.
The typical roof in a high wind weather condition is degraded and eventually destroyed because one or more roofing panels and/or the ridge caps are lifted off of the structure. When this happens, the entire roof is quickly peeled off of the building and the rest of the building is exposed to the weather. Older roofs, especially those constructed according to the earlier building codes, are particularly susceptible to wind pressure because there are not enough points of attachment of the roof panels to the underlying roof support structure, such as a plywood deck, rafters or purlins.
Rapid changes in the roofing systems bring new concepts to the roofing material development. For instance, preformed metal panels are replacing standing seam roof, and single-ply membrane is replacing the old-fashioned built-up roof. Preformed metal panels are often made of galvanized steel with the panel lengths between 6 and 40 feet and panel widths in the order of 26-38″. The preformed metal panels may have different patterns, or profiles, wherein the high ridges of the panel are integrally formed with low-profile drain channels. The panels are typically nailed along the drain channels at spaced intervals according to the manufacturer's specifications.
In the geographic areas where hurricanes happen every year, the nailed-down preformed metal roofs often fail, when high velocity winds rip off the roof from the building. Often times, water and wind enter under the edges of the roof panels and ridge cap thus exposing the building interior to the inclement weather. The purpose of this invention is to provide a roofing system support assembly that would increase the roofs resistance to winds of extreme force. With roofing panels, the present invention will confer resistance to all winds, not depending on thru fasteners or flashing with caulk.